Providence class fuels refugee efforts

Pastor Godfrey Byaruhanga of Uganda with a crop which, once harvested, can use its leftover biomass to make fuel.

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In a business world where the crusade for profit seems to mean more than anything else, a group of Providence University College students in the business administration program are trying a different approach.

One group in Bruce Duggan’s not-for-profit management course teamed up with a small business at a Ugandan refugee settlement that has found a way to offset a firewood shortage.

A pastor living nearby manufactured a biochar briquetting process that transforms biomass, like banana leaves, corn stover or bean straw, into a renewable fuel that can be sold and used for cooking and other basic needs.

"It’s a great project because it can empower the people there to be a part of something," said group member Karl Johnson.

The business is already self-sufficient but the class is trying to raise more funds to grow the business. You can find out more at fuelforthefuture.causevox.com.